Hair Transplant For Managing Alopecia Areata: How Does It Work?

Alopecia is the trichology umbrella term clinically used by dermatologists to describe hair loss. It is a condition wherein an individual loses hair at more than the usual rate, above 50-100 hair daily, and the lost hair is not being replaced with new hair. Anyone can be a hair loss sufferer as alopecia is not restricted by age, gender, race, ethnicity, or other factors.

How to stop alopecia areata from spreading?

Most cases of alopecia are temporary and naturally reversible while some are permanent and require medical intervention to restore natural hair growth. Thankfully, there are many non-surgical and surgical treatments available for alopecia and the most sought-after, permanent natural hair restoration is a hair transplant in India performed at DMC Trichology.

This blog discusses alopecia and how hair transplant can treat it. It even makes you go through the hair transplant process at DMC Trichology, India's best hair transplant clinic providing successful hair transplants. Read on!

What causes alopecia?

There are many causative factors of alopecia that can ultimately lead to balding on the head and in some cases, other body parts. Here are the main causes of alopecia:

• Genetics: Hair loss or balding can be hereditary when any close family member has suffered from permanent hair loss. This type of hair loss that occurs due to family history in men and women is called androgenetic alopecia- the pattern of baldness/hair loss.

• Excessive stress: Hair loss induced by stress is prominent nowadays and thankfully can be naturally reversed when stressful situations are no longer there. Emotional or physical stress usually puts certain hair follicles in the “resting phase” of the hair growth cycle wherein they do not produce new hair strands.

• Medical conditions and Medications: A scalp infection and an autoimmune condition like alopecia areata (patchy hair loss) can lead to hair loss and subsequent balding. Cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy also start losing their hair.

• Hormonal changes: Hair loss due to hormonal changes is very common in females, especially those who have PCOD/PCOS, thyroid issues, hormonal imbalances, and other conditions associated with hormonal changes. Pregnancy and menopause can also be the reason for alopecia in women.

• Nutrition deficiency: Another major contributor to hair loss or alopecia is a sedentary lifestyle and lack of proper nutrition or a balanced diet. It is extremely common in youngsters and middle-aged people.

What are the treatment options for alopecia?

Treatment for alopecia depends on its underlying cause and severity. Different types of alopecia can be treated with varieties of options. At first, topical or oral medications are prescribed by hair loss doctors to stimulate natural hair regrowth and reduce inflammation. When these don’t work, the doctor recommends non-surgical hair loss therapies like mesotherapy, GFC therapy, and scalp microneedling. However, the most effective and lasting treatment for hair loss is a hair transplant.

Can hair transplants help treat all kinds of alopecia?

In most cases, a hair transplant in Delhi, India can be an ideal permanent solution for all types of alopecia or hair loss. The most common indication for hair transplant surgery is pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia.

However, not all alopecia patients hold candidacy for hair transplant.

Non-suitable Candidates for Hair transplant include:

• Medically unfit or unhealthy individuals
• Patients with unstable or insufficient hair loss
• Patients who do not have enough healthy hair in the donor area
• Very young individuals, younger than 23 years old
• People with diffuse unpatterned alopecia or cicatricial alopecia
• Patients suffering from psychological disorders like body dysmorphic disorder and trichotillomania
• Hair loss sufferers with unrealistic expectations of the outcome of hair transplant.

How does hair transplant work for alopecia?

A hair transplant is a surgical, natural hair restoration wherein healthy hair follicles are taken from the areas resistant to hair fall like the back or sides of the head, and implanted in the hair thinning or balding areas of the scalp or sometimes other hair loss sites of the body. The site from where the hair follicles are taken out is called the donor site whereas the site on which hair graft is implanted is called the recipient site.

There are varieties of techniques to perform hair transplants. The traditional approach is the strip surgery or Follicular Unit Transplant wherein a strip of hair is taken out from the back of the scalp and dissected under the microscope to get hair grafts for transplant. The donor hair grafts are then inserted into the recipient site at an angle and direction just like natural, existing hair grows.

In the advanced hair transplant approach called Follicular Unit Extraction, the hair follicles are directly extracted using a micro-punch tool and implanted one by one into the tiny incisions pre-created in the recipient area. The better version of FUE is DMC Golden Touch®, where the direct implantation of hair follicles is done using a special implant tool. This makes it the best treatment for hair growth.

After a hair transplant is done, the transplanted hair falls out within a few weeks and then new hair starts growing in its place. The new hair continues to grow long and over several months the recipient site gets fully covered with natural hair, thereby treating the hair loss or alopecia.

How effective is hair transplant for alopecia patients?

The effectiveness of a hair transplant is decided by how well the transplanted new hair survives in bald-resistant, hair-abundant hair tissue of the alopecia patients. The hair transplant field has been evolving over the years and now it incorporates minute precision. FUE hair transplant is the advanced hair transplant technique that involves individual picking up of desirable follicular units without suturing and is associated with minimal scarring and other risks or complications.

Generally, hair transplants have a success rate of 80-98%. The survival rate of the transplanted hair can be influenced by the surgeon’s expertise and experience, the type of alopecia, the technique used for hair transplant, the following of pre-and post-operative care instructions, edema, oxidative stress, infection, and chances of the newly transplanted area to be affected with bald-prone tissues.

Is alopecia curable?

Unfortunately, no! But there are hair loss treatments like hair transplants that can help alopecia patients not to be forever stuck with thin hair and bald spots/patches.

Where can I get a successful hair transplant?

At DMC Trichology clinic, the best diagnosis and treatment options are available for alopecia patients. Not every hair loss sufferer has to settle on hair transplants. They also offer competitive cost for hair loss and hair transplant treatments.

Hair transplants are usually the last resort. If you are seeking a successful hair transplant or even other hair loss treatments, contact our top-notch team today and explore our alopecia treatment options. We have treated many alopecia patients successfully and have delivered undoubtedly positive results. DMC Trichology brings to you the best methods of hair transplant, the most effective, innovative, and lasting hair transplant in India formulated exclusively for alopecia patients.